Updated

Cook Time:

Prep Time:

Total Time:45 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

16 cup day-old Tuscan bread, crusts removed and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 quart milk

4 cup tightly packed, stemmed Swiss chard leaves

2 Eggs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a little more for finishing

2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch grated nutmeg

1 cup bread crumbs

Flour

8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter

2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

Preparation:

Soak the bread cubes in the milk for 30 minutes, or until all of the bread is soft. Squeeze out any excess milk and set aside.

Cook the swiss chard in well-salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the leaves and cool under cold running water. Using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible. Coarsely chop the leaves.

In a food processor combine the softened bread, chopped Swiss chard, eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper to taste, nutmeg, and half of the bread crumbs. Puree to a smooth consistency. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. It should be very dry but hold in shape. If it’s too moist, gradually add the remaining ½ cup bread crumbs.

Coat your hands with the four and roll the mixture into ½ inch balls. Arrange the gnocchi on a well-floured baking sheet. The gnocchi may be cooked immediately, refrigerated overnight, or stored frozen for up to a month. Freeze them on a tray in a single layer. After they are frozen, transfer them to freezer bags.

To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi. They are done about 10 seconds after they rise to the top. (If cooking frozen gnocchi, do not defrost them first. Place them in the boiling water right from the freezer. The cooking time may be a little longer.) So that they cook evenly, you will need to cook them in batches.

Preheat the boiler.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the sage and salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the gnocchi. Place them in a heatproof dish, toss with the sage butter, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Run the gnocchi under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese turns slightly brown and crispy.